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Clutch or backwind?

My take on it is.using the back wind you have got much better control over a running fishing heading for a snag. Playing off the clutch is fine when there are no apparent snags to contend with, just how you can play
a fish any other way on smaller rivers is beyond me.
On netting a fish I switch the anti re wind on and any surge the drag can deal with.
 
When float fishing - front drag on my Diawa's

Fishing for lumps - rear drag on my Shimmy's

Silvers on the float - backwind on the 507's

Thumb on the centrepin.

Puller-bung on the pole. :)


Whilst on the subject of 'drag', I'd just like to make it clear...unless it causes public offence, what I wear is of no concern to anybody else, the judge said. ;)
 
Neil Smart said:
My take on it is.using the back wind you have got much better control over a running fishing heading for a snag. Playing off the clutch is fine when there are no apparent snags to contend with, just how you can play
a fish any other way on smaller rivers is beyond me.
On netting a fish I switch the anti re wind on and any surge the drag can deal with.
Click to expand...

Dealing with snags is fairly simple, you stick your finger on the spool to stop it going round !
 
Simon Lush said:
Dealing with snags is fairly simple, you stick your finger on the spool to stop it going round !
Click to expand...

It would more than likely be too late, if you have ever fished the Teme when it had Barbel you might see that playing a Barbel off the drag would be a disaster. They know/ knew where the far bank roots were, you wouldn't know what hit you.
 
Neil Smart said:
It would more than likely be too late, if you have ever fished the Teme when it had Barbel you might see that playing a Barbel off the drag would be a disaster. They know/ knew where the far bank roots were, you wouldn't know what hit you.
Click to expand...

With the greatest of respect Neil the bit of river i'm fishing is a lot smaller than the Teme and the fish are a LOT bigger ! Not much room for mistakes there !
 
Mike Hodgkiss said:
Never mind the good old days Simon , that's what I do now when using old mitchells , with the back up of the clutch as well , the perfect combination :) To be serious , I do own a Shimano baitrunner reel [ DL4000FA] and the clutch on it [ rear drag ] works fine , nearly as good as my Cardinal 54 :) I reckon half the problem with many clutch systems is that people leave them wound up all the time and don't loosen them off after a fishing trip
Click to expand...

Forgive my ignorance but I can't see how this is possible with the 300 as the rotor spins the wrong way (typical french :rolleyes:) If you are fishing a backwind method surely you would use your extended index finger to stop/catch the bailarm at the roller end to allow the clutch to operate or are you saying you engage the anti-reverse at the netting stage?
 
Steve Cole said:
Forgive my ignorance but I can't see how this is possible with the 300 as the rotor spins the wrong way (typical french :rolleyes:) If you are fishing a backwind method surely you would use your extended index finger to stop/catch the bailarm at the roller end to allow the clutch to operate or are you saying you engage the anti-reverse at the netting stage?
Click to expand...

OOh, good question :)
 
Clutch every time for me! I've been converted from my match fishing back winding days! I don't set it too tight as most swims on the wharfe have plenty of room. Tight swims with snags, just set the clutch tighter and hold on.
Nearly all match anglers use back wind but I've been converted to clutch for this too, I find even when fishing for silvers a soft drag cushions the strike and means you never get bust when hooking bonus fish, comes into it's own catching big highbreads in Ireland.
 
Mike Hodgkiss said:
All you have to do is the old Mitchell trick , of keeping a gentle index finger pressure on the rotor as the critical moment arrives , more sensitive than any of your clutches ,jobs a good un !:D
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Ah ha, ... Now I know where I went wrong all those years ago,.. should have handled my Mitchell's like a good woman! :D:D
 
Steve Cole said:
Forgive my ignorance but I can't see how this is possible with the 300 as the rotor spins the wrong way (typical french :rolleyes:) If you are fishing a backwind method surely you would use your extended index finger to stop/catch the bailarm at the roller end to allow the clutch to operate or are you saying you engage the anti-reverse at the netting stage?
Click to expand...

I'm left handed [ don't know if that makes any difference , but I'm not french ] . I hold the rod in my left hand , landing net in my right .When the leviathan is near the net and I need to give a bit of line I just put my left index finger against the rotor ' [ anti reverse off ] and the fish can take line by the reel spinning backwards . Simples . If you wanted the clutch to come in to play as well just press hard against the rotor with your finger , or click the anti reverse on . Do you know I would never have guessed when I awoke from my slumber this morning that I would be explaining backwinding techniques on a Mitchell :D
 
Mike Hodgkiss said:
I'm left handed [ don't know if that makes any difference , but I'm not french ] . I hold the rod in my left hand , landing net in my right .When the leviathan is near the net and I need to give a bit of line I just put my left index finger against the rotor ' [ anti reverse off ] and the fish can take line by the reel spinning backwards . Simples . If you wanted the clutch to come in to play as well just press hard against the rotor with your finger , or click the anti reverse on . Do you know I would never have guessed when I awoke from my slumber this morning that I would be explaining backwinding techniques on a Mitchell :D
Click to expand...

We wouldn't be having this conversation Mike if the Mitchell guys had build the reels correctly :D. You must be a 301 user then ? Interesting isn't it that rather than make an ambidextrous reel, Mitchell reversed the mechanics and made a reel that was an exact mirror of its sister. Cocked it up twice then, as the rotor on the lefty spins the wrong way too :rolleyes:

Having fished 3 of the last 4 days I'm clearly not getting out enough and wasting too much precious angling time on forums!! :)

ATB

Steve
 
I just realised Mike that you may never have the experience of a left handed reel with rotor revolving the correct way and therefore will be unaware of how nice this action is. This is because all reels being made now (that I can see anyway) have rotors spinning in a direction designed for the right handed angler, regardless of the fact they may be classed as ambidextrous.

That rotor/bailarm on your 301 occasionally crashing into the end of you left index finger must be painful - all right handed anglers are able to tap the rotor/spool or hold back the bail on modern reels with the pad of the index finger, the rotor spinning away rather than into you.

It might be worth exploring to see if such a reel is available for you as I'm sure your angling experience would be more pleasurable if one were.

Regards

Steve (Off to pack the gear ready for tomorrow) :)
 
Yes 301 user born and bred I know no different , indeed although they are all right handed I taught my Mrs and both my kids to fish as a left hander , saved a lot of expense ! To be honest I have never noticed which way '' other ' reels rotors turn , I will go in to my fishing bothy in a minute and mesmerise myself :D Although I have about 12 of the things ,[ 301's , 411's 441's] I still watch them on E bay where right hand winders are still fairly scarce to see if anything really good comes up . I have been after a 331 ''otomatic '' for years now [ predecessor of the mitchell match ] but I can't source one . I have been told that there is a mod you can do to improve the clutches on mitchells , I haven't bothered though they are OK for me . I just like to look and feel of them , they are a classic design , over 30 million sold and tough as old boots apart from the bail arms springs which get a bit tired after extensive abuse
 
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